Will County committee adopts 2026 federal agenda, adds NACo priorities and a concise immigration statement

The Will County Board Legislative Committee approved its 2026 federal legislative agenda after amending the draft to include National Association of Counties priorities and a brief statement urging a clear path to citizenship for immigrants.

The action came after a lengthy discussion about several proposed additions. Member Butler floated a "commitment to truth" resolution urging a return to earlier broadcast standards, saying, "I would accept anything that said... honest, responsible reporting where both sides of a story are given," and asked the committee to consider urging Congress to reinstate elements of the Fairness Doctrine and reconsider the Smith–Mundt Modernization Act. Several members pushed back, saying a county resolution would have little effect on federal broadcast policy and asking how enforcement would work.

"I don't see how any legislation will determine what newspapers, TV, or whatever report," one committee member said during debate, arguing the county's purview is limited. The committee did not adopt a specific Fairness Doctrine resolution at the meeting, but members asked staff to draft a succinct statement if they choose to pursue it later.

The committee also debated immigration language proposed by Butler to urge clearer federal pathways to citizenship. After discussion the group agreed to a brief amendment reading, in the form read aloud during the meeting, "The Will County board supports strong immigration policies that provide a clear path to citizenship." The amendment was adopted in a roll-call vote.

Housing language drew scrutiny as well. One member asked for the removal of a sentence in the housing paragraph opposing "cuts to HUD subsidies that discourage institutional investors in affordable housing," expressing concern that some institutional investors can have negative local effects. The member moved to remove the sentence, but no second was made and the motion failed.

The committee approved the federal agenda as amended in a roll-call vote. The clerk recorded the vote as entered on the record during the meeting; one member voted "No" on the final adoption and the remainder voted "Yes."

Why it matters: The federal agenda is the county's formal list of policy priorities sent to federal legislators and used during advocacy on Capitol Hill. Adding NACo's top priorities aligns Will County with the national association of counties; the added immigration statement signals a local interest in prompting federal lawmakers to consider clearer, more predictable pathways to citizenship.

What happens next: Staff will finalize the agenda text and produce a polished packet for board members and for the county's legislators and NACo representatives. The committee did not pass a new media-enforcement resolution at this meeting; any further action would require drafting a succinct statement or a separate county-board resolution to be considered at a later meeting.